Erasure shield for manifold copies



Jan. 13, 1 959 G. L. FowLER ERASURE SHIELD FOR MANIFOLD COPIES 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 Filed Nov. 26, 1954 IN VENTOR GEORGE L..FOWLER ATTORNEY Jan. 13, 1959 G. L. F-OWLER ERASURE. SHIELD FOR MANIFOLD COPIES 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 Filed Nov. 26, 1954 INVEN GEOR TOR GE L.FOWLER ATTORNEY United States Patent 2,868,347 Patented Jan. 13, 1959 ice 2,868,347 ERASURE SHIELD FOR MANIFOLD COPIES George L. Fowler, Staten Island, N. Y. Application November 26, 1954,Serial No. 471,228

12 Claims. or. 197-181) The present invention relates to a device adapted to facilitate erasures on typewritten copy while retaining such copy in the typewriter during the erasing operation. More particularly the invention relates to a device sometimes known as an erasure shield or guard, and adapted to permit erasure of errors on manifold copies without pressure against interleaved carbon paper sheets. The invention is especially concerned with the provision of such an erasure shield or guard which is adapted for attachment to the pressure bar or paper hail of a conventional typewriter so as to be available for use at all times,

' and to be adjustable longitudinally thereof.

The invention, and its objects, may be more fully understood from the following description when read in conjunction with the accompanying drawings in which:

Fig. l is a view in perspective of one form of an erasure shield according to this invention wherein the shield is inverted to show the reverse surface portion thereof and a means to engage said shield with the paper bail of a typewriter.

Fig. 2 is a similar view of another form of the erasure shield in which the entire device is made from a single blank of a suitable material;

Fig. 3 is a View in perspective of a suitable blank from which the device of Fig. 2 may be made; and

Fig. 4 is a view in perspective of still another form of the erasure shield according to this invention wherein the shield is inverted to show the reverse surface portion thereof, and an alternate on the paper hail of a typewriter;

Fig. 5 is a showing in prospective of the manner in which an erasure shield according to this invention is employed.

Referring in greater detail to the drawings, in Fig. 1, the numeral 1 designates a shield element of the character contemplated, of which the reverse surface is in view. The obverse surface conforms substantially to the surface shown, and has a convex curvature. The shield as illustrated is of a plastic material thickened at each end to provide beaded-portions 1a and 1b. Afiixed to the reverse surface in any suitable manner 2 adapted for frictional engagement with the paper bail of a standard or conventional typewriter. The shield 1, as shown, has a concavo-convex conformation wherein the radius of curvature is substantially greater than that of the typewriter platen. In the device as shown, a suitable means for connection of the clamp 2 to the shield 1 would be two or more rivet elements (not shown) imbedded at one end in the shield and upset at the other end to engage the clamp. 2 in fixed and rigid relation to the reverse surface. Attachment also could be accomplished by broaching or piercing the crown of the clamp member to form extended lip or ear portions adapted to be imbedded in a plastic shield material as formed :01 moulded. The clamp itself is intended to have a depth not more than the distance of the paper bail from the platen of a standard typewriter. a plastic material is a preferred substance to form the means to engage said shield is a spring clamp t Further, while shield 1, it is contemplated that the shield may be formed from a metal such as aluminum or steel. In such event the clamp 2 would preferably be attached by means of rivets which pierce both shield and clamp with the ends upset and smoothly conformed with the obverse surface of the shield element.

The device as illustrated in Fig. 2 is moulded or otherwise formed from a single blank of a suitable material. For this purpose, a thermoplastic material is preferred, although metals may also be employed. As shown in Fig. 3, the starting blank designated by the numeral 11, is of a substantially oblong rectangular shape. At one end is an extended tongue portion 12, substantially one third the width of the blank and centered on the longitudinal axis thereof to form laterally extending shoulder portions 13 and 14 of substantially equal width each side of the tongue 12. The opposite end of the blank is also smoothly finished to provide at least a center portion, disposed between the dotted. lines b and 0, adapted to provide a bearing surface on which typed pages may be supported when making erasures thereon. The end of the tongue portions 12, 16 and. 17, however, preferably are thickened, beaded or otherwise formed on the obverse surface for a purpose later described.

To form the finished erasure shield, the blank 11, as shown in Fig. 3, is moulded or deformed by heating and/or pressing. The tongues 12, 16 and 17 are bent at slightly more than toward the obverse surface substantially along the dotted lines d and a respectively, in the direction of the dotted arrows, and about midway of their length. The body portion of the blank is then similarly bent or deformed substantially along the dotted lines b and c, and in the indicated direction of the corresponding dotted arrows, so as to bring the reverse surface of opposite ends substantially into opposition to the reverse surface of the center portion of the blank. In the process of bending, the center portion is provided with thickened or beaded edge portions along the fold lines 0 and 12 indicated, and substantially as shown in Fig. 2. Also, as shown in Fig. 2, when the blank 11 is folded in the manner described, the tongue 12 is brought into a substantially meshed relationship in the slotted portion 15 and with the tongues 16 and 17. This is accomplished in such fashion that the outer ends of the tongues extend angularly outward with relation to the reverse surface of the shield, with a slight cant of tongues 12 toward tongues 16 and 17, and vice versa, to form a generally U-shaped three part clamp in which the beaded portions at 12a, 16a and 17a, are oppositely faced. In forming the clamp, and as shown, it is narrower at the open end than at the base, with the beaded portions spaced from the base of the clamp at a distance slightly greater than the diameter of the typewriter paper bail with which the shield is to be associated. The lateral dimension of the clamp, i. .e. the distance between respective planes of the projecting portions of tongues 16 and 17 and tongue 12 at any point above the base of the U, is preferably less than the paper bail diameter to provide for clamping action of the tongues, when forced over the bail. The spring action of the clamping means as shown is intended to permit accommodation of paper bails of slightly different diameters and cross sectional form.

In the device as illustrated by Fig. 4, the shield body 31 is substantially identical with that shown by Fig. 1, including comparable beaded edge portions 31a and 31b. In place of the clamping means as shown in Figs. 1 and 2,'however, the body 31 includes a thickened rear- Wardly extended sleeve portion 32 wherein is defined a tubular passageway 32a adapted to receive the paper bail of a typewriter in frictional, longitudinally, slidable, and arcuately movable relation. Although the sleeve portion is shown by Fig. 4 to be formed in the material of the body 31 itself, it is contemplated that a separately formed sleeve element may be attached or mounted substantially integrally on the reverse surface portion of the body much in the manner in which the clamp is described and shown to be attached in the form. of the device as illustrated by Fig. 1.

In Fig. 5, a shield of the sort illustrated by Fig. l is shown mounted on the paper bail 21 of a typewriter in the manner for which it is intended. The platen of the typewriter is indicated by the numeral 22. Also shown in Fig. 5 is a set of manifold copies as normally associated with the platen 22, and paper bail 21, without inclusion of other typewriter parts. The set as shown includes an original sheet indicated by the letter 0, carbon paper, indicated by the letter P, and a series of manifolded tissue copies or second sheets, each indicated by the letter T.

Fig. 5 also indicates the manner in which an erasure shield, of the type contemplated by this invention, i .ay be employed. As shown, the shield is applied to the paper bail 21 by means of clamp 2. After the original sheet 0 is brought over the bail and shield and with tension applied to its upper edge the reverse surface of the sheet is brought into surface contact with the obverse surface of the shield. As thus applied, tension on the sheet brings it into pressure engagement with the shield edge 1b, tending to rotate the shield on the bail 22. As the shield tends to rotate on the bail 22, the shield edge in is brought into pressure contact with another portion of the sheet, the sheet meanwhile being held by the normal resistance of the platen to rotation. With the sheet held as described, the portion in engagement with the shield obverse surface is taut, and the curvature of the shield brings the desired erasure point into such prominence as to permit accurate and precise application of an eraser means to the surface of the paper or sheet. As each sheet is brought into position, the previous sheets and the carbon paper behind each are permitted to lie loosely over the forward parts of the typewriter, which would be to the right of the parts shown in the drawing.

Having described the invention and its method of em ployment, what is claimed is:

1. An erasure shield, comprising a substantially rigid shield element having opposite end portions, and included between said end portions a smooth, convex paper receiving, obverse surface portion and a reverse surface portion, and means substantially integrally associated with said reverse surface portion frictionally engageable with the paper hail of a typewriter in longitudinally slidable, arcuately movable relation thereto, said means being disposed intermediate the opposite end portions of said shield, and on a line laterally thereof.

2. An erasure shield according to claim 1, wherein said means frictionally engageable with the paper hail of a typewriter is a tubular sleeve defined in the reverse surface portion of said shield.

3. An erasure shield according to claim 1, wherein said means frictionally engageable with the paper bail of a typewriter is a substantially U-shaped clamp extending outwardly from the reverse surface portion of said shield in substantially right angular relation thereto.

4. An erasure shield, comprising a substantially rigid paper receiving element, said element having opposite lifting the bail 21,.

end portions, and included between said end portions a smooth convex obverse surface portion and a reverse surface portion, wherein the curvature of said obverse surface portion is of a radius greater than that of a typewriter platen, and clamping means integrally associated with the reverse surface portion of said paper receiving element, said clamping means adapted frictionally to engage the paper hail of a typewriter to support said element in longitudinally slidable, arcuately movable relation thereto, said clamping means being disposed intermediate the opposite end portions of said element, and on a line laterally thereof.

5. A device according to claim 4, wherein said clamping means is disposed in its association with the reverse surface portion of said paper receiving element in substantially right angular relation to the arc of curvature of said obverse surface and coextensive with the radius thereof.

6. A device according to claim 1, wherein the opposite end portions of said shield element are parallel to each other.

7. A device according to claim 1, wherein said means frictionally engageable with said paper bail is disposed midway between the opposite end portions of said shield element.

8. A device according to claim 1, wherein said means frictionally engageable with said paper bail is disposed in closer approximation to one of said shield end portions than to the other.

9. A device according to claim 1, wherein the opposite end portions of said shield element each terminates in a beaded edge extending and raised from the reverse surface portion of said shield element.

10. An erasure shield comprising a body of concaveconvex curvature providing a convex obverse paper receiving surface portion, a first end section integral with said body terminating in a single extended tongue in substantially equally spaced relation to the lateral edges of said first end section, a second end section integral with said body terminating in a pair of extended tongues spaced one from another laterally of said second end section by substantially the lateral dimension of said single tongue, each having an outer edge continuous with that of said second end section and said body, said pair of extended tongues defining a recess between them, and wherein each of said first and second end sections is turned inwardly toward and into substantially parallel -elation to the reverse surface of said body portion, wherein said tongues are turned outwardly from said surface in substantially right angular relation thereto with said single tongue in spaced opposed relation to said pair of tongues in matched relation to the recess tween said pair of tongues, said tongues defining between them a substantially U-shaped clamp extended outwardly from the reverse surface of said body portion in substan tially right angular relation to the arc of curvature of said body portion.

11. A device according to claim 10, wherein said end portions each includes an area substantially equal tothat of said body surface portion.

12. A device according to claim 10, wherein each of said tongues is turned outwardly along a line substantially midway of its length, and wherein the remaining portion of said single tongue extends into that part of said recess defined between the remaining portions of said pair of tongues.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 602,559 Johnson Apr. 19, 1898 1,216,857 Shammo Feb. 20, 1917' 2,642,172 Felber June 16, 1953 

